Cheryl Freeman, aerobics and weight training teacher, during a class at Founders Hall.
After 18 years of teaching aerobics and weight training classes at the Ridgefield Recreation Center and Founders Hall, Cheryl Freeman is hanging up her gym shoes and looking for new adventures.
“Cheryl is going to be greatly missed. She has inspired so many to exercise and has made everyone in her classes one big family,” Grace Weber, director of Founders Hall, said.
Phyllis Best, who has been taking classes from Freeman for almost 18 years, said, “I never did any exercise before Cheryl’s classes. She changed my life physically and mentally and kept my interest with varied routines and special attention to individual needs.”
In her youth, Freeman was a skier but did not take part in any other physical activities. In fact, she did not get into aerobics and personal training until she needed to supplement her income and saw an ad in the PennySaver to become an aerobics instructor through the Physical Fit Clubs in Westchester.
Having graduated with a business degree from the University of North Carolina, Freeman worked for various corporations.
“I liked my jobs in business,” she said, “but after taking my first aerobics class I was a changed person. I thought, wow, this is so great. This needs to be a part of my life.”
After teaching aerobics for $7 an hour as a part-time job, Freeman discovered that corporate training paid more and that by also getting certified as a personal trainer, she would be even more marketable. Now with both certifications, Freeman went on to part-time fitness training at corporate headquarters for companies including IBM, Phillips, and Reader’s Digest.
After getting married, Freeman moved to Ridgefield and started her family. Danielle is now working in business in California, Christopher is performing as a hip-hop artist under the name of Chaz Ultra, and Nicholas is a student at the University of Pittsburgh. It was not unusual for Freeman to take her children to her classes when they were young.
“My family is and always will be my first priority. I took my family members to an aerobics class the morning of my wedding. I told people when I was pregnant that I would teach until my water broke. My water broke in the morning and I canceled my aerobics classes on the day Nicholas was born.”
In addition to teaching aerobics and being a personal trainer in Ridgefield, Freeman has taught classes in Vista, N.Y., Bethel and other towns in the area. Her favorite people to teach, however, are senior citizens.
“There is no group that makes me feel more appreciated than the seniors. They are so grateful for my services. I feel that it is a privilege to work with senior citizens.”
Freeman is always in motion, going from one activity to another. She is also very creative in regard to interior design and has her own business, Magical Make-Over Interiors. Making over a room in a day is a job she absolutely loves.
For Founders Hall, Freeman, has also used her master gardener certification from the University of Connecticut to transform the grounds at the back of the building with Mr. Hughes. She loves bringing beauty to people, whether it be inside the house or out.
When asked about the direction of her new life, Freeman said, “I am open to any creative activities that come along. I will certainly stay active, take classes, read ads, and stay flexible, as I am and will always be a work in progress.”
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